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Comparable games are games you can use as a reference point when describing certain parts of your game. That can be a good thing, in the sense that familiar experiences are easier to jump into than totally alien ones. The idea is to boil your game down into the atomic level of "what" your game is all about. This ensures you and your team can accurately describe the game, which will help a ton when the time comes to share your game with others. To start off your GDD, the first section should act as the front and back covers of a book. It's perhaps the best opportunity to ground your project's theme, direction, and any similar titles, so that the reader of the GDD can be best-informed about what kind of game you're making.
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Finally, you should create a draft production plan organized as milestones. This should line up with your general project scoping, and can be thought of as a more detailed and in-depth project timeline. For example, if you're working on a space survival game and you want zero-gravity cooking with physically simulated floating cast-iron pans, that's already 3 or 4 mechanics on one small part of gameplay. In defining your game's core mechanics, look for outliers of concentrated complexity to reevaluate certain parts as necessary, stretch-goals, or as things to reimagine more simply. With all of that information in hand and ready to go, make some centralized list of what you're working with.
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Brainstorming is a classic creative technique for generating new ideas quickly. You can use it to explore visual styles, dream up new characters, worlds, or even the levels you're planning. Today, most game developers follow the agile approach to documentation.
What are the different formats of a GDD?
It compels the game design team to thoroughly think through every game element, from the storyline to gameplay mechanics, character designs, levels, and user interface. A game design document is fundamental to successful game development. It functions as a comprehensive guide, detailing various aspects like character design, level progression, and interface layout. This meticulously prepared document enables developers to maintain consistency in their creative vision throughout the game's development process. The intricate details of your project, encompassing its technical requirements and stack, along with time and cost estimates, form the backbone of the game design document. This section also includes a comprehensive list of specialists anticipated to be involved in the project.
A Simple Guide to Making a Game Design Document (GDD) + Free GDD Template
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While I’m not an expert on investing in a project, as a games composer I have occassionally been offered royalty-share opportunities in return for working on a game in the past. Or, if the narrative of the game is important, this is where you might outline the basic story. When you’re making your game there’s a good chance that, at some point, you’re going to need to write down how it works. Even so, you can get a clear idea of what Castle Pixel added to make this 2D platformer worth playing even though you’ve played a 2D platformer before. However, as I mentioned earlier, the fundamental goals are still the same and you can learn what to do (or not to do) from them.
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Outside of the basics that you have outlined thus far, this one can truly make or break the feeling of a game. Too many times have I seen gamers complain about the terrible user interface, or UI. The Game design document becomes a clear list of “next tasks” while also serving as a way to keep everyone moving forward towards the same goal.
And today, your team is smarter, more technically capable and less patient than ever. Looking forward to starting the conversation about how this document can be changed or improved. First, you should include a general scoping of your project, including the estimated amount of time needed, the overall production timeline including preparation to go to market, and the size of the team needed.
This might be because you’ve got plans and ideas for your project that you don’t want to forget. Worth mentioning is that the core of a game isn’t impervious to change throughout development. In fact, many games often change during development and so the core has to be revised. For Sonic The Hedgehog, having crazy loops and a power-up that doubles your speed are awesome additions that made the game more fun. They didn’t add puzzles to solve or anything that ruins the sense of speed because they would work against the core rather than make it stronger. Instead of being vague, include the important details your team will need to create what’s in your head.
However, even when it’s split up like this, a long written document can be difficult to organise, difficult to manage and difficult to use. In this scenario, it can help to think of your GDD as more of a project pitch or business proposal, as that’s pretty much what it’d be. For that reason, it’s generally a good idea to focus on what you know you can deliver, based on your experience, your skills and what you’ve managed to do in the past.
However, you will probably have a working title, you’ll know what the gameplay or the story might involve and you’ll know what your design pillars, the cornerstones of how your game feels to play, will be. Which, when you’re working with other people, and you want them to build part of your game in the way you imagined it would be, can be important. It might also include a couple of the game’s main mechanics or controls, so that someone could easily understand what the game is going to be like to play.
Some people love them, while others insist that they are obsolete and have been for some time. Or it might be because other people are going to work on your game with you, and you need a way to show them what the game should or should not be like.
It provides a clear roadmap for development, enhances team communication, and ensures that the final product aligns with the initial vision. The benefits of a well-crafted GDD are manifold, making it an indispensable part of successful game development. UI in game design extends well beyond a mere collection of menus and options; it is, in essence, the core interface through which players engage with your game. Mastering the art of UI design is crucial for creating an intuitive and enjoyable player experience. To optimize your game's UI, consider strategies like reducing its screen real estate.
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